Bette McAllister

Bette McAllister, my beloved mom, passed away at her home in Sheridan on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the age of 92.

Bette was born in Sheridan on February 25, 1933, to John (Fritz) Wagner and Dorothy (Hammond) Wagner. She and her brother, Bob, spent their youth horseback riding and making memories with their Garland and Brug cousins in Sheridan and Buffalo. Bette always loved and admired her older brother so much. As a little girl, she loved holding her mom’s hand while they shopped on Main Street and in the winter, when the ice was thick enough, she would figure skate with her dad. After graduating from Sheridan High School in 1951, she attended a technical institute in Omaha, where she was trained in office administration. This would be the start of her career and travel adventures across the United States during the 1950s. She worked as a secretary for the Military Sealift Command and the Bureau of Yards and Docks in Washington, D.C. In 1958, she moved to Sausalito, California and was the controller’s secretary for the 12^th Coast Guard District in San Francisco. Bette met Mac McAllister, and they married in 1964. For the next 33 years they lived in San Rafael, California, where they raised their daughter, Beth. In 1997, Bette moved back to Sheridan, in retirement, and was grateful for the ability to reconnect with family, former classmates and old friends. Those years were full of rich memories, and she even became an Elk! She was thrilled when her grandson, Matthew, was born in 2003, and she loved travelling to California over the years to spend time with him and her daughter—sometimes turning her roundtrip into a one-way flight/one-way leisurely road trip back to Wyoming with the two of them.

Bette loved reading and analyzing history and archaeology—especially military history and the battles of World War II. She had particular expertise in the Battles of the Pacific Theater. She loved writing letters and made it a point to acquire new vocabulary words every week. During her marriage to Mac, they enjoyed reading to each other on Saturday evenings. Their favorite topics included Ancient Egypt, the Civil War, WWII, philosophy, astronomy, and horses. Bette’s passion for history fueled her love of travel, and she was able to visit Venezuela in 1981, numerous European countries in 1985, Spain and Gibraltar in 1999 and Great Britain in 2008. Once she got her first iPhone, there was no stopping her. In her later years she remained very active, enjoyed listening to podcasts, texting her friends and keeping up with the current events that shape our world. Bette absolutely loved and cared for ALL animals and was a cat mom throughout the years. Just some of the things she was passionate about included decorating her home, her backyard, music, teddy bears, all kinds of food especially Italian, Mexican, Chinese and any kind of pasta. She loved her neighbors on Kona Place and absolutely everything about beautiful Sheridan (except for the long cold winters!).

I retired in California in 2024 and moved to Sheridan to be near my mom—a dream come true for us. We spent the last year and a half together trying every restaurant, taking in the mountain views over coffee or a margarita, shopping on N. Main Street and in Billings.

My mom is also survived by her grandson, Matthew, a niece, nephew and two great-nephews in Florida, friends in Sheridan, cousins in Buffalo and her ginger kitty Santino.

My mom and I had a deeply personal relationship, and we were best friends. We talked almost every day of my life, even when we were separated by many miles. She was adorable, and she was genuinely interested in people and cared about them. I will never forget her kindness, friendliness, sense of humor, intellectual curiosity, thirst for learning and love for animals. She was a wonderful mom, grandma, aunt, friend, and cat mom.

Mom, Matthew and I promise to honor your memory everywhere we go and in every possible way, continuing to make you proud and bring you joy. We will love you forever.

To honor Bette’s wishes, there will be no formal service, but a celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

Memorials to honor Bette may be made to the Sheridan Dog and Cat Shelter, 84 East Ridge Road, Sheridan, WY 82801 or to Second Chance Cat Rescue, 1850 Gabrielle Ct., Sheridan, WY 82801. Online condolences may be made to www.sheridanfuneral.com. Arrangements are under the care of Sheridan Funeral Home.